The appeal of white gold

[rolexgolfer]

It is fair to say that white gold is quite popular on TRF, I am having a hard time finding the appeal of it though. It looks almost identical to steel, is far more expensive, and is less durable, so why the love? I personally am a huge sucker for rose/pink gold and yellow gold, and don't tell me it is because I am old because I am 23!

[porschejeff]

Good taste...I just bought a DJ SS/RG stunning

[BOA]

In hand and on the wrist it is nothing like steel. Scratches become part of the patina, not scratches. Hard to explain. As gold, it has an understated appearance that I like, but it has a gold sheen through the white that shimmers the fact that it's gold, again, in a way that's hard to explain. It's also heavier than steel, but plenty durable for a watch in 18K. 24K would be another story, obviously. I love my white gold Rolex. In every way it looks and feels fantastic. YMMV.

[kilyung]

Originally Posted by rolexgolfer

is less durable...

Sure it's 25% the VH rating of steel but I'd say the billions of gold and platinum wedding bands out there are plenty sturdy for everyday wear. By the way, 18k gold has a higher rating than platinum.

Here's my regular wear sub:

[jlc123]

Originally Posted by kilyung

Sure it's 25% the VH rating of steel but I'd say the billions of gold and platinum wedding bands out there are plenty sturdy for everyday wear. By the way, 18k gold has a higher rating than platinum.

Here's my regular wear sub:

My favorite sub, enjoy it.

[kilyung]

PS: nothing wrong with RG/YG... I'm a fan but sometimes you want to be nondescript while knowing what you're wearing.

[Speed]

Close your eyes / ears Padi...

I have only tried on a WG Daytona Panda dial. LOVED the feel of the watch and the WEIGHT. I could be smoking something, but the watch felt warm...

Really dug it.

[rolexgolfer]

Originally Posted by kilyung

Sure it's 25% the VH rating of steel but I'd say the billions of gold and platinum wedding bands out there are plenty sturdy for everyday wear. By the way, 18k gold has a higher rating than platinum.

Here's my regular wear sub:

If I were to buy one watch in WG it would be this one Gorgeous piece!

[Bangel]

I see white gold as understated, stealthy and something for the secret appreciation of the owner (and those in the know).

I quite like it, but don't have any WG watches though, unless you count the hands and hour marker surrounds on my sub!

[Dino944]

I owned a WG Daytona but it just didn't seem any more special or interesting than my SS Daytona. I eventually lost interest in the WG Daytona and sold it. When buying gold I'd rather have RG or YG.

Now platinum, even though it looks like steel or WG, you can feel its significant increase in heft (compared to gold), and I can appreciate that its more difficult to work with, and that is far rarer and its annual production is far lower than gold.

But thats just my 2 cents. If a watch in WG makes someone happier than the same watch in some other metal then they should go for it!

[kilyung]

Originally Posted by Dino944

I owned a WG Daytona but it just didn't seem any more special or interesting than my SS Daytona. I eventually lost interest in the WG Daytona and sold it. When buying gold I'd rather have RG or YG.

Now platinum, even though it looks like steel or WG, you can feel its significant increase in heft (compared to gold), and I can appreciate that its more difficult to work with, and that is far rarer and its annual production is far lower than gold.

But thats just my 2 cents. If a watch in WG makes someone happier than the same watch in some other metal then they should go for it!

I'd buy a Platinum SubC in a heartbeat!!

[TAKUYA]

Originally Posted by kilyung

Sure it's 25% the VH rating of steel but I'd say the billions of gold and platinum wedding bands out there are plenty sturdy for everyday wear. By the way, 18k gold has a higher rating than platinum.

Here's my regular wear sub:

i'd def get one when my other dream comes true first

[Marrk]

I can (or think I can) tell the difference between WG and SS. It has a look.

[Wristmaster]

Talking bout colors, yellow gold may be a good entry point.

[Marrk]

Originally Posted by kilyung

Sure it's 25% the VH rating of steel but I'd say the billions of gold and platinum wedding bands out there are plenty sturdy for everyday wear. By the way, 18k gold has a higher rating than platinum.

Here's my regular wear sub:

What am I looking at here? WG and YG TT?

[night]

WG has that deep color to it hard to explain, and on some people yellow doesn't look good like me.

[Marrk]

I like SS well enough. In fact, I prefer it. But WG and YG have a particular look. That's all I'd like to convey to the OP.

[HRV]

Originally Posted by bangel

i see white gold as understated, stealthy and something for the secret appreciation of the owner (and those in the know).

x2

[Marrk]

Originally Posted by Bangel

I see white gold as understated, stealthy and something for the secret appreciation of the owner (and those in the know).

I quite like it, but don't have any WG watches though, unless you count the hands and hour marker surrounds on my sub!

Can't say that I understand this "secret appreciation" stuff, but if it floats your boat, then I guess we all have to sing "Hallelujah!" Way cool, dude.

[kilyung]

Originally Posted by Marrk

What am I looking at here? WG and YG TT?

WG

[Rolex time is money]

I understand what you mean OP, look of steel but at the cost of gold?

[PunkJr]

I wonder how white gold ages. My jeweller tells me that white gold is plated with rhodium and needs to be periodically re-plated. Whilst he is referring to rings, does this not apply to watches? Do they not have the rhodium coat?

Anyhow, don't see the point to white gold. I'd buy a platinum watch, but never a WG.

[kilyung]

Originally Posted by PunkJr

I wonder how white gold ages. My jeweller tells me that white gold is plated with rhodium and needs to be periodically re-plated. Whilst he is referring to rings, does this not apply to watches? Do they not have the rhodium coat?

Anyhow, don't see the point to white gold. I'd buy a platinum watch, but never a WG.

Rolex's formulation of WG does not require rhodium plating. Platinum over WG - we could be talking about 'why buy a platinum watch vs steel' then. Fortunately, there's enough variety in Rolexes line-up that you don't have to buy WG if it's not to your liking.

[kilyung]

If you like YG, then some will say it's 'old' or 'tacky' and still others 'classy' or 'the right color of gold'. WG is a personal preference, nothing more or less just like RG/YG or platinum. Oh and there is a slight color difference between steel and WG (much less apparent between platinum and steel).

[bayerische]

I wear a WG watch daily. No problems.

[mjclark32]

Not going to lie, I opened and went through this thread solely to see the pics, thanks mike!

[Czechman]

Originally Posted by rolexgolfer

It is fair to say that white gold is quite popular on TRF, I am having a hard time finding the appeal of it though. It looks almost identical to steel, is far more expensive, and is less durable, so why the love? I personally am a huge sucker for rose/pink gold and yellow gold, and don't tell me it is because I am old because I am 23!

I know what you mean. I just HAD to have a white gold Rolex but once I got it the fascination wore off very quickly. Not knocking those who love them but if I'm going to wear gold I want it to look like gold.

Me being 66 and you 23 reassures me that it's not just an "old guy" thing.

[KZZN]

Hi,

I'm just only now beginning to appreciate white gold. Up until this last week, I was absolutely of the same opinion that some others here have stated: it looks like steel, so why waste all that money - why not just buy steel?

For the past six years, the watch that had spent more time on my wrist than any other was a yellow gold Oysterquartz Day-Date. This last week I sold it, and as part of the deal got a white Rolesor Oysterquartz Datejust.

At first, I thought I'd be constantly pining for my Day-Date, and looking at my wrist and thinking how poor in comparison the Datejust was. But...it turns out that the steel and white gold Datejust looks WAY better on me than the yellow gold Day-Date ever did. The white metal just looks so, so much better on my wrist.

So in the future, if I'm ever in the position financially to own a Day–Date again, I'm thinking I'd definitely go for white gold. And that's because it would look much better on me than a yellow gold one would. So I think it really depends on the individual - if you want a Day-Date, you're going gold or platinum only, and on some folk white metal just looks far better than yellow metal.

Also, it is possible to see the difference up-close between white gold and steel, I now realise. The fluted white gold bezel has a definite golden tinge to the metal - you can sort of see the inner gold shining through, is the best way I can describe it.

[Trabant Dave]

@ Kilyung; is that a Honda Civic you're driving there?

Dave in London, Rolex driver and Civic wearer

[ludicree]

I really like white Gold. It's shiny, it's heavy, it has the gold feel.

As a sports watch I don't like it because the weight will be pretty high. These watches are too expensive to be so easily banged and bruised by me in my opinion. Maybe as a dress watch someday!

I would like rings or an armband made of white gold. But the market does not seem to have much to give besides wedding rings.

Also the prices are hilarious, much higher than for a watch if you look at the material/money balance.